Method of making gaskets



21, 1940- P. w. DEMPSEY 2,201,576

METHOD or MAKING SKE y 1940. P. w DEMPSEY 2,201,576 I METHOD OF MAKING GASKETS Original Fil ed Nov. 22, 1935' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5| 52 INVENTOR PHlLIP w. DEMPSEY ATTORNEY P. w. DEMPSEY METHOD OF MAKING GASKETS May 21, '1940.

Original Filed Nov. 22, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR PHILIP w DEMPSEY BY ATTORNEY I Patented May 21, 1940 v .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,201,576 un'rnon or fiAKi'NG GASKETS- Philip w. Dempsey, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmoi-ding, 1%, a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application November 22, 1935, Serial Divided and this application May 12, 1938, Serial No. 207,497

- Claims. (Cl. 154-2) A- further object of my invention is to provide a novel method for making the type of gasket ill disclosed in my above-mentioned Patent 2,125,334.

. The above objects and other objects of my invention which will be made apparent hereinafter are attained in a manner subsequently to be .de

scribed and illustrativelyshownin the accomgo panying drawings, wherein Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are, respectively, a plan view of one face, an elevational'view, and a'plan viewof the opposite face-of a typical gasket made according to the method of my present invention, Fig. 4 is an exploded isometric view, showing I the constituent parts employed to make the gasket shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Fig. 5 is an isometric'view, showing the constltuent-parts of the gasket in assembled rela- 30 tion prior to the molding and vulcanizing operaterial, such as rubber, havinga certain hardness and flexibility when vulcanized, a flexible diaphragm portion l2 united to thebody portion ll 45 in a manner hereinafter described and being of material, such as rubber, softer and more flexible than the body portion when vulcanized, and a piston seat portion, l3 which isunited to the, body v portion II in the manner hereinafter described 50 and which is also of material, such as rubber,

' softer andmore flexible than the body portion 1 I when vulcanized.

The body portion II has two openings l5 and I6 through which may extend projections on the 66 members between which thegasketis clamped.

Additional openings l1 and I8 in the body portion II are provided through which bolts may extend for securing the clamping members.

The diaphragm portion l2, the piston seat portion l3, and each of the openings l5, I6, I! and 5 I8 are each' completely surrounded by a pair of spaced sealing ribs l9 which project and taper outwardly from the face of the gasket as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

, The opposite face of the gasket is provided with 10; 'so-called phantom beads or ribs 2| coincident with the ribs 18 but of rectangular cross-section e and extending a lesser distance away from the corresponding face of the gasket than do ribs l9,

in a. manner and for a purpose described and is claimed in the copending application Serial No.

738,492, now Patent No. 2,058,010 of Ellery R. Fitch assigned to the assignee of this application.-

The gasket is provided with a plurality of projections 23 extending into the openings l5 and 4 I6 in themanner and for a. purpose taught and claimed in the copending application Serial No. 724,080, new Patent No. 2,074,746 of Ellis E. Hewitt assigned to the assignee of-this application.

Further details of construction of the gasket shown in Figs. li-to' 3 when'made according tov the method of my present invention will be understood from the following description.

Referring particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the gasket body portion II is made up ofthree layers 25, '26, and 2'! of coincident contour, the layers being of substantially the same thickness and of the same material, whichmaterial when vulcanized attains the desired degree of hardness and flexibility for the gasket body IL' Each of the layers 25, 26 and 21 has corresponding perforations or openings 28, 29,\3I and; 32 therein for providing the necessary openings l5, I6, I! and I8,' respectively, of thecompleted gasket. The one outer layer also has therein an opening 33 and an opening 34. The intermediate layer 26 has therein two openings 35 and 36 adapted to register coaxially with the openings 33and 36, respectively, in are layer 25 when the layers 25 and 26 are in. coinciding superimposed' relation but which are larger in size than the openings 33 and '34 of the layers 25.

The outer layer 21 has therein an opening '31, which is the same size as the opening 35 of thelayer 26 and which is adapted to register co-' axiallywith the opening 35 of the layer 26 when the layer 21 is superimposed on the layer 26, and, an opening 38 corresponding in size to the opening 34 in the layer 26, which opening is adapted 3 to register coaxially with the opening 36 in the layer 26.

The diaphragm portion I2 is made up of three disc-like layers 42, 43 and 44 which correspond respectively in size to and are adapted to fit into the openings 34, 36 and 38 respectively of the several layers 25, 26 and 21. The discs 42 and 44 are constituted wholly of rubber material while the disc 43 has a layer 45 of reenforcing fabric embedded centrally therein, as indicated in Figs. 6 and 8.

The piston seat portion I3 is formed out of an annulus M, which is substantially twice as thick as the individual layers 25, 26 and 21, and which is composed of material which when vulcanized has the desired degree of softness and character as the rubber material composing the layers-25, 26 and 21. The lengths 46 and 41 of extruded rubber are of relatively small circular cross-section and string-like in appearance, andadapted to be disposed in circular grooves in the gasket mold in the manner hereinafter describedi In order to enable a more ready understandingbf the method of manufacture involved, the lengths Y46 and 41 of extruded rubber are shown in Fig. 4 as arranged in circular form with ends overlapped, and disposed in the position which they occupy relative to the gasket layers when in the mold.

The constituent parts shown in Fig. 4 are assembled in any suitable manner into theform shown in Fig. 5. For purposes of illustration, the constituent elements or parts of the gasket may be assembled in the following manner: (1) The diaphragm disc 42 is fitted into the opening 34 in the layer 25, (2) the layer 26 is superimposed in coinciding relation on top of the layer 25, (3) the diaphragm disc 43 is fitted into the opening 36 of the central layer 26, (4) the annulus 4| is fitted into the opening 35 of the central layer 26, the layer 21 is superimposed incoinciding relation on top. of layer 26 with the annulus 4| extending into the opening 31 and being flush at the upper face thereof with the upper face of the layer lgr simplicity, the mold wherein the gasket is 3):!!! and which comprises upper and lower porus -;not completely shown in either Fig. 6. or Fig. 7, only those fragments thereof being indicated in' Figs. 6 and 7 which are .necessary to an understanding of the disposition of the lengths 46 and 41 of extruded rubber relative to the gasket assembly in the mold prior to the vulcanizsov et Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the lower portion 5| of the mold has a recess 52 therein for receiving that-portion of the gasket assembly which includes the diaphragm portion |2, the face of the recess 52 having circular grooves 53 and 54 therein which grooves are of such cross-sectional configuration as to form the desired cross-section for the sealing ribs l6.-

On the inner, face of the mold portion 5| and surrounding the recess 52 are a pair of concentric spaced troughs or grooves 55 and 56 which are adapted to receive the overflow of the gasket material when the gasket is subjected to pressure ,and heat in the mold, these grooves 55 and 56 being described and claimed in my Patent 1,910,526. On the inner face of the upper portion 51 of the mold opposite the recess 52 of the lower portion 5 I, are a pair of concentric circular spaced grooves 58 and 59 adapted to form the outer and inner phantom beads 2| indicated in Fig. 3.

As will be seen in Fig. '1, the lower portion 5| of the mold is also provided with an annular recess 6| for receiving therein that part of the gasket assembly shown in Fig. 5 which includes the piston seat portion II. The surface of the recess 6| has therein a pair of concentric spaced grooves 63 and 64 for forming respectively the outer and inner sealing ribs I! which surround the piston seat portion l3 shown in Fig. 1. Overflow troughs or grooves 55a and 56a, corresponding to the grooves 55 and 56 and surrounding the recess 6|,- are also provided on the inner face of thelower portion 5| of the mold. The inner face of the upper portion 51 of the mold has therein a circular groove 65 for forming the outer phantom bead 2| around the piston seat portion l3 and .a relatively wide annular groove 66 inwardly concentric to the groove 65 for forming a relatively wide supporting back surface for the piston seat portion l3.

The lengths 46 and 41 of extruded rubber are first disposed in the grooves 54 and 64, respectively, of the lower portion 5| of the mold, and the gasket assembly shown in Fig. 5 is then placed in the mold with the upper face downward, it being understood that the inner face of the lower portion 5| of the mold is provided with a suitable recess, including the recesses 52 and 6|, for receiving the entire gasket assembly therein.

After placing the upper portion 51 of the mold in suitable aligned cooperative relation with the lowerportion 5| and securing /'the two portions together in any suitable manner, the mold is then subjected to suitable pressure and heat, it being understood that the inner surfaces of the upper and lower portion of the mold ultimately meet in contacting relation.

The gasket is vmaintained in the mold under suitable pressure and heat conditions for a suitable length of time necessary to vulcanize and 'unite the various parts into a unitary structure.

Upon removal of the gasket from the mold, any flash or excess material extruded along the peripheral edge of the gasket may be removed in any suitable manner, as by bufllng, in order to provide smooth peripheral edges for the gasket.

In the completed gasket, as shown in the sectional views of Figs; 8 and 9, it will be noted that the three gasket layers 25, 26 and 21 and the .lengths 46 and "of extruded rubber become integrally united under the vulcanizing process as do also the three diaphragm discs 42, 43, and

44. Itwill be further noted by a comparison of Figs. 6 and 7 relative to Figs. 8 and 9,'respectively. that the total thickness of the three diaphragm discs 42, 45 and 44, prior to the application of pressure and heat is greater than the thickness of the diaphragm portion l2 in the completed gasket, and that the thickness of the annulus 4| prior to the application of pressure and heat is slightly greater than that of the piston seat portion |I in the completed gasket. It should therefore be understood that the material of the diaphragm discs 42, 43 and 44 and or the annulus 4| flows radially outward under the pressure and a heat conditions while in the mold.

According to my invention, I provide the lengths,

. 46 and 41 of extruded rubber and initially dispose them in the grooves 54 and 64 of the mold, in order to prevent the relatively soft rubber -mate-. rial of the diaphragm discs 42, 43 and 44 and of the annulus 4| from flowing into the sealing rib' grooves 54 and 64 of the mold under pressure and mold, the line of demarcation between the relatively hard rubber material of the body portion II and the relatively soft rubber material of the diaphragm portion l2 and the piston seat portion I3 is uniformly determined. This is of particular importance in connection with the diaphragm portion i2, in order to obtain uniform diaphragm characteristics. 1

It will be noted, additionally, in Figs. 8 and 9 tion II and, therefore, that the diaphragm portion I! and the piston seat portion l3 are interlockingly embedded in the gasket body portion separation of the diaphragm portion t2 and the piston seat portion I3 from the gasket body portion I l.

I Furthermore, in view of the fact that the sealing ribs l9 and the phantom ribs 2| are onthe part of the gasket body portion II which overlaps the periphery of the diaphragm portion i2 and the piston seat portion l3, it will be seen that when the gasket is confined between two clamp- I ing members on opposite sides thereof, the clamping force presses the sealing ribs l9 and 2|, which are relatively hard, into the periphery of the diaphragm portion l2 and piston seat portion l3, which are relatively soft, .and thus further serves to prevent severance or separation of the terial for forming the diaphragm,

diaphragm layers diaphragm portion l2 and piston seat portion ill from the gasket body portion ll.

WhileI have disclosed a principle of construction and a method of manufacture as applied to a specific type of gasket, it should be understood that both the principle of construction and the method of manufacture disclosed herein may v be employed in the construction and. manufacture of other typesand configurations of gaskets.

It is not my intention therefore to limit the scope J of my invention except asnecessitated by the prior art and as defined in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. The method of making a combined gasket and diaphragm which comprises providing three layers of a rubber material for'forming the gasket body, two of said layers each having a perforation of a certain size and the third of said layers having aperforation of larger size, the perforations being so located as vto coaxially register when the layers are disposed insuperimposed relation, providing a'plurality of layers of a rubber mahaving an outer contour conforming substantially to that of the perforations in the said two gasket body layers' 'and one two of the:

rial for forming the gasket body,

of the. diaphragm layers having an outer contour Y conforming substantially tothat of the larger.

perforation in thesaid third layer, assembling the gasket body layers in superimposed relation with the said third layer between the other two 5,

layers, and the diaphragm layers in correspond-' ing superimposed relation within-the perforations layers. 2. The and diaphragm, which comprises formingfrom rubber material, of such character .as'to' have'a method of making a combined gasket certain degree of hardness and flexibility in the i5- vulcanized state, three gasket forming blanksof the same outer contour and thickness, forming at identical locations in two. of said blanks like apertures of a given diameter and forming in the third of said blanks an aperture larger in diam-l0 eter-than said given diameter and so located as "to be coaxial with the apertures in said other two blanks when the contours of said three blanks coi de. -"character as, to be softer-and 'more flexible in 25 that the periphery of the diaphragm portion 12- i as well as the periphery of the annulus 4| is overlapped on both sides by the: gasket body porforming from rubbermaterial, of such the vulcanized state tharri that of which the gasket blanks are formed, three substantially "ters {corresponding respectively to the three ll, thereby preventing possible severance or? assembling the diaphragm-forming blanks in the apertures in the three said gasket-forming blanks,

corresponding apertures of the gasket-forming blanks, assembling the gasket-forming biankhaving the larger aperture between the-two other gasket-forming blanks so that the outer contours of andthe axes of the apertures in the three the several blanksfinto anintegral units 3. In the manufacture-of a combined gasket and diaphragm having a sealing rib closely surrounding said diaphram, the method which com from rubber material, of such 48 sponding -sul'istantially'to the aperture infsaid gasket-forming blank, assembling the diaphragmaperture of the gasket- II forming blank forming from the same rubber I material as that from which the gasket-forming blank.is made of sealing'rib-forming element ofstring-like configuration, disposing the'sealinsforming blank in the blanks coincide, and subjecting the assembly to pressure and. heat'in a mold to effect union of, 40'

to be relatively soft and i0.

rib-forming element in a formative groove in a 0' mold, disposing the assembly comprising the diaphragm-forming and gasket-forming elements. in the mold over the sealing-rib-formingelement in a relation such that the sealing-ribforming' element circumscribes the diaphragm- 48 forming element, and applying heat and pressure to the elements in the mold to cause union thereof into an integral unit.

4. In the manufacture of a combined gasket and diaphragm having a sealing rib closely sur-" 7 rounding the diaphragm, the method which comprises providing three layers of a'rubber mate-' two of said layers each having a perforation of-a certain size and the third of said layers havinga perforation 1" of larger size, the perforations being so located so as to coaxially register when the layers are arranged in superimposed relation; providing a plurality of layers of a rubber material for forming the diaphragm, two of the diaphragm layers having an outer contour conforming substanbetween the/other two layers and the diaphragm layers in corresponding superimposed relation within the perforations of the. corresponding gasket layers; disposing the assembled layers over and in proper relation to the sealing rib elementin the'mold, and applying pressure and heat to effect union of the diaphragm layers to each other, union of the gasket layers to each other, union of the diaphragm layers to the gasket layers, and union of the sealing rib element to one of the gasket layers.

5. In the manufacture of a combined gasket and diaphragm having a sealing rib closely surrounding the diaphragm, the method which comprises providing three layers of a rubber material of substantially the same thickness respectively,

and coinciding outer contour for forming the gasket body, the rubber material of the gasket layers being of such character as to have a certain degreeof hardness and flexibility in thevulcaniaedstatatwo of said gasket layers having a substantially circular perforation therein of a certain diameter and the third of said gasket layers having a substantially circular perforation gasket layers.

therein of a diameter larger than the diameter of the perforations in the other two layers, the perforations being so located as to coaxially register when the gasket layers are assembled in superimposed 'relation; providing three layers of rubber material of the same thickness respectively as the gasket layers for forming the diaphragm, the rubber material of the diaphragm layers being of such character as to be softer and more flexible in the vulcanized state than the gasket layers, two of ,the diaphragm layers being of circular contour and diameter corresponding substantially to that of the perforations of the said two gasket layers and the third diaphragm layer beingof circular contour and diameter corresponding to that of the perforation in the said third gasket layer; providing a string-like element of rubber material which is the same in character as the rubber material of the gasket layers for forming the sealing rib;

disposing the sealing rib element in its formative groove in a mold; assembling said gasket and diaphragm layers by disposing each of said two diaphragm layers in the perforation of a corresponding one of said two gasket layers, disposing the said third diaphragm layer in the perforation of said third gasket layer, and, disposing said layers in superimposed coinciding relation with the said third gasket layer between the said two gasket layers; arranging the assembled layers over and in proper relation to the sealing rib element in' the mold, andapplying pressure and heat to effect the union of the diaphragm layers, the union of the gasket layers, the union of the diaphragm layers to the gasket layers, and the union of the sealing rib element to one of said PHILIP W. DEMPSEY. 

